


Riviera Life

by chai_and_coffee



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: After season 6, Angst, Author breaks the fourth wall, F/M, Fluff, Italy, Light Angst, Limoncello, Lowkey India Salt, S7 wishlist, Slightly - Freeform, Space Uncle Coran (Voltron), Team as Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vacations, capri, citrus, s6 compliant, shallura - Freeform, shiroxallura, what should happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 12:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15170300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chai_and_coffee/pseuds/chai_and_coffee
Summary: When the team goes back to Earth, they are given six months to rest and catch up with their families. Every month, they check in, make sure everything's alright, give updates.Everything seems to be fine, until Allura stops giving updates, and doesn't turn up for the three month meeting.Title/Concept inspired by Caro Emerald's song of the same name!





	Riviera Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!   
> Just something real quick!
> 
> I love love love this song, and Caro Emerald! I really think you should listen to it while you read. Play it on a loop until you get to the end or something! 
> 
> Here's the link:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sQGQEmZS10

They were going to earth! 

 

Oh, Shiro was so excited. So, so excited. They were finally going home! 

 

The journey was a bit slower, now that they didn’t have the Castle of Lions to aid them with it. They had to jump from planet to planet, their only forms of transportation being the lions.

 

They sought refuge on the plants, living in hostels and hotels. When they traveled in the lions, each of the paladins were in their original ones. Shiro had a connection with Black that no one could explain, and it was unanimously agreed that the Black Paladin would remain in that seat of power.

 

Lance was more than happy to go back to Blue, and Keith had missed Red. Coran traveled in Hunk’s yellow lion with the Yellow Paladin, both swapping recipes and foods to try once they reached earth.

 

As for Allura, the princess traveled with Shiro. The team suspected it was something more, but Shiro knew damn well that it was just to make sure that he was doing okay.He was more than happy to ride with her, however, she provided pleasant company. He taught her things about earth, and she taught him a bit of Altean here and there.

 

He would never forget the time she had stepped out in a simple shirt and shorts. She looked…to put it simply, gorgeous. Lance had caught him staring and had given him a nudge and made a comment to shut his mouth before a fly flew in.Shiro had been too dumbfounded to even come up with a snarky comment against that. 

 

Allura had slowly started the transition from her dress to Earth clothes. Of course, it didn’t help that Allura always had to double check with Shiro if what she was wearing was okay. It took so much strength to not say something stupid.

 

As they got closer and closer to Earth, Shiro’s initial excitement had turned to worry. Sure, Coran was going to be travelling with Hunk, but what about Allura? She had nowhere to go, unlike the other Paladins. 

 

He had extended the invitation to her, to come with him to Japan and stay with his family, but to surprise, she had denied it. She had wished to explore on her own, and definitely didn’t want to infringe on his time with his family.

 

The agreement was six months. Six months of vacation, no universe defending or anything of the sort. Six months to mourn the one they’d lost, six months to regroup with family and update them on their circumstances. 

 

Six months seemed too little, but the paladins had been ready to take whatever they got. 

 

The only catch was that every paladin had to check in with Shiro every month. They’d all meet in New York at the three month mark.

 

~

 

The first month, it was absolute heaven. Shiro had gone home to Japan, and he had hesitated before knocking on the door. Soon enough, through, he had raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the familiar wood. 

 

A woman answered, still beautiful despite her age, the same almond shaped eyes, the same glint in her brown eyes. 

 

“ _Musuko_!” The woman exclaimed, tears rushing to her eyes. 

 

“Hi, Mama.” He said quietly, then gathered his mother in his arms and held onto her tightly. Within moments, he was ushered inside, a steaming bowl of rice set in front of him, and his mother right next to him. Shiro’s father’s gaze spread out over him and the living room, from where the portrait hung.

 

Shiro explained everything. His mother was a good listener. She didn’t interrupt once, didn’t look at him in a way that made him uncomfortable, only rubbed his back and soothed him when he got choked up. She didn’t doubt him. 

 

“I always knew that you were alive, _musuko_. I knew. Something told me. Your mama always knows.” She said, patting his head in a way that made him feel like a little boy again. 

 

It was heaven. He found himself missing the paladins less and less each day as he grew accustomed to his mother. He was reunited with his sister, who came home from university just to see him.

 

They never judged him for his missing arm, didn’t wince when they saw the scars. They were perfectly happy to have him back. 

 

He spent nights holding his mother and sister close, telling them stories about what lay beyond the worlds. He grew back into his role as the head of the household. He was finally happy. 

 

He got updates from the rest of the crew. 

 

Pidge was with her family, still living near with the Garrison. Matt had made it back to Earth as well, and they were thinking about taking a small vacation somewhere. That made him laugh quietly: a vacation in a vacation.

 

Lance was with his family in Cuba, and it looked like he was having a great time. He had truly missed his family, and Shiro supposed that it was a very large family. 

 

Keith had been in Alaska, not wanting to get caught with his cosmic wolf, but would be making his way to Japan in a week or so, missing his brother. Shiro was excited, he was ready to integrate Keith into his family. He was sure that his mother would love the boy, and his sister would like to have someone to tease and make fun of as well.He’d fit in well with them, and it would ease the pain of Krolia staying behind to settle some last minute things.

 

Hunk and Coran had ate their way through Europe and were currently in India. Apparently, there was different cuisines for every type of province, and they were determined to try it all. 

 

And then, Allura. He saved her update for last. She had apparently stayed in America, experiencing California and moving east. Her favorite place was Washington DC, apparently, and she had attached a picture of her with her update. She looked glorious, speculative, her white locks flying in the wind as she stood under the Washington Memorial.

 

The second month was wonderful. Keith came to join him in Japan, and it was like Shiro had anticipated. Shiro’s mother was delighted to have another son join their little family, and fawned over Keith, constantly making sure that the boy got enough to eat, was feeling okay. The constant attention helped Keith ease up around his family. Sara, Shiro’s sister, had taken a bit longer to get used to Keith, but soon the two were comfortable around each other. They constantly teased and played around, and Shiro’s heart warmed to see that Keith was settling in well. The wolf joined their family dinners, thumping under the table to get some handouts.The wolf was crazy about Shiro’s mom, who fed him little slivers of meat here and there when she cooked. 

 

He got the updates once more. Lance was partying with girls in Cuba. Pidge was in Canada. Hunk and Coran had discovered South India, which was much better than North India in terms of food (and language. hmmph.) Allura was in London. Her update had been short, no picture to accompany it. 

 

That had made Shiro’s heart twinge, but he had brushed it off and went to dinner. 

 

In the three month mark, everyone met in NYC. The meeting spot was a coffeeshop, and everyone swapped stories and laughed…well, except for Allura.

 

The Altean princess was no where to be seen, she never turned up for the meeting, and no one had heard from her. Not even Coran, which worried Shiro greatly, but even Coran didn’t seem too worried.

 

But now, it was the four month mark, and there had been no word from Allura. When Shiro sat down for dinner that night, his mother has seen right through him.

 

“Something wrong, Takashi?” His mother had asked carefully, and all eyes turned to him. He nodded. “A friend…she hasn’t checked in with us. Didn’t come to New York. I’m a bit worried, mama.” He confided, even though his sister and Keith were still here.

 

“He also has the biggest crush on her. And she’s an alien.” Keith supplied helpfully, and grinned as Sara broke into laughter. 

 

HIs mother raised an eyebrow at her son, who was currently flushing. “Is that true?”

 

“I think I love her.” Shiro said, and the table went silent. Everyone stared at him, but his mother was the first one to break the silence. 

 

“Then go after her.” She said. “Find her. Bring her home.”

 

Which is how Shiro found himself tracing her steps. Keith and him poured over countless hours and hours of security cam footage (thanks to Pidge, who had been dying to use this new software she had developed), and they traced her to Naples, Italy. 

 

With a kiss pressed to his mother’s cheek, a kiss against his sister’s and brother’s foreheads (even through Keith pretended to be disgusted and wiped it off), Shiro set out for Italy. 

 

He arrived in Naples, and his only source of information was that Allura hadn’t stayed in this city. He showed her picture to the locals, grateful that most spoke English. 

 

It was a man, skinny, wiry and with a mustache that looked like the end of a broom that told him where she was. 

 

“Ah! Bella Donna! She went to Capri, my good man.” The man said excitedly. Something about going on a quest for lost love made people very eager to help Shiro out, and well….he’d take all the help he got.

 

Capri was an island off the coast of Naples, and apparently very beautiful. He took the same boat that Allura had taken, and felt a rush of excitement. He was going to see her!

 

The boat docked at Capri, and he could see why Allura loved this place. The scent of citrus floated in the air, and the water was a brilliant blue. The houses were cramped together, but that only added to its charm. The markets were bustling, the restaurants busy, and the hotels packed with tourists coming from all over. He wandered off the docks and into the market, and it didn’t take him long to find her. 

 

She was absolutely beautiful. She attracted gazes from every corner, and he found himself being a part of those people. Her hair shimmered, stretching down to her waist. Her hair covered the unnatural shaping of her ears, and her eye marks were covered. But still, those eyes sparkled, and a dazzling smile graced the onlookers. She wore a long, flowy floral skirt, bright and bursting with colors and flowers, paired with a simple black tanktop. She looked like…any of the others. 

 

She was the most beautiful woman to ever grace his eyes. He saw her, fierce in the market, haggling over a price. He felt the spike of jealousy as men called out to her, and her playful refusal. She was happy here, and who was he to disturb that?

 

Just as he turned to leave her, leave this island and let her be, their eyes met. Her eyebrow raised expectantly while his cheeks settled with the blush of being caught. She extended her hand out to him, a clear invitation.

 

He sighed and waded through the crowd of people, and finally reached her. He placed his hand in hers, and allowed her to tug him through the crowd of people and down the streets.She finally led him to a white door, and with the slide of the keys inside, the door opened, and she was tugging him in her apartment.

 

He’s been seated and fussed over when she finally broke the silence. “If you wanted to visit, you didn’t need to at a distance.” She says, and he’s grateful that there’s a spark of amusement in her words. 

 

“I thought maybe I should. You seemed so happy here. I didn’t want to disturb that.” He said in his usual quiet manner, not minding the way her hand was still in his. 

 

She looked down and sighed quietly. “I needed time. Some time to reinvent myself. I’m sorry, Shiro. I hadn’t expected the loss of the Castle would do this to me.”

 

Oh, the Castle of Lions. How could he have not realized? That Castle had been a home to all of them, and had been one of the last things connecting her to her planet. It was gone, and none of the Paladins had noticed or even cared. 

 

“There’s no need to apologize, Princess.” He said soothingly and was rewarded with a burst of her tinkling laughter. 

 

“Princess? Please, Shiro. You’re too formal. Call me Allura.” She said.

 

“Then, call me Takashi.” He invited, and grinned when the name rolled off her lips smoothly as she tried it out.

 

They went out once more, chatting over pasta (which Allura insisted was heaven on Earth) and wine, talking about things here and there. She invited him to stay the night, stay with her for a little bit if he had nothing else to do, and he had jumped at the offer. 

 

There had only been one bedroom, and Shiro had found it adorable how sheepish she had looked. Allura offered for him to take the bed and her the couch, but he had waved it off and insisted that they would be able to share a bed. He had no ulterior motives, of course. He was going to be a perfect gentleman, and a friend. Friends. They were friends, nothing more, nothing less. 

 

But that didn’t stop his spine from tingling with joy as he felt the solid warmth of her body next to his, or how her head came to rest on his shoulder.

 

It didn’t escape him that the night he shared with her was the best sleep of his entire life.

 

The next morning, they had a quick breakfast, and he leaned back, raising an eyebrow expectantly at her. 

 

“What are our plans for the day?” He asked over his cup of coffee. 

 

She paused, thinking before pitching her idea. “I was thinking that we can go shopping? Look around afterwards?” She tilted her head at him.

 

He groaned, hitting his head on the table. “Please tell me we aren’t going to try on thousands of different dresses and then only buy one.” He huffed. He knew enough from his sister and mother to know how it usually went.

 

A smack of a towel against his shoulder made him jump.“The market, silly. Not clothes shopping, Just little things, here and there.” 

 

He sighed, but eventually relented, and with another playful smack of Allura’s towel, was sent to take a shower. 

 

Once they were both dressed and fresh for the day (Allura wore a yellow sundress, dear god, what was she doing to him?!), they set out hand in hand for the market. Limoncello, he learned quickly, was a specialty to the island, and was the reason for all this citrus craze. They tried funky lemon candies, and he chuckled at the cute way her face scrunched up at the sourness. The day passed by in a haze, and they were still walking around in the evening.

 

“Oh! Shiro, the shawls are here! Can we go see? Please?” She asked, and he was about to refuse her when he saw those pleading eyes. With a sigh, he finally nodded and acceded to her dragging him through the street to the stand with several shawls draped across.

 

Apparently these shawls were the latest fashion, and were made out of a special silk. They were also very popular on the island, which was known for getting a bit chilly after the sun had set, and it was setting over them now, the goosebumps apparent on Allura’s arms. 

 

“Shiro, what do you think?” Allura asked, jolting him out of his thoughts. He focused on her, and saw a elegant silver shawl draped over her shoulders.

 

Before he could answer, the vendor had draped another shawl over her shoulders, this time in a pastel blue color. 

 

“Your wife might like this as well, sir!” The vendor suggested brightly. Shiro flushed, but when Allura didn’t correct the man, he didn’t either. 

 

“I say, the blue.” Shiro finally decided.

 

“Blue it is!” Allura spun around and rifled in her bag to pay, but Shiro’s hand stopped her. Shiro dug out his own money and payed for the shawl, and when the silky blue fabric was handed to him, he gently draped it over Allura’s shoulders. 

 

“You two are very cute.” The vendor winked at Shiro, who grinned with a blush and led Allura away. 

 

“There’s one place I’d love to show you.” She said, the night setting on the sky, her face upturned towards his.

 

“Lead the way.” He said, grinning.

 

She took his hand once more and pulled him down, away from the markets and away from the buzz of the city, past the beach. As the walked, the ground descended and got a bit rockier. When she finally stopped, it was a little rocky ledge touching the water. 

 

She let go of his hand and went to go sit, her feet submerged in the pool. He made his way next to her, and she rolled up his pants to his knees before him even having to ask. He finally sank down next to her, the water lapping at her ankles and his calves.

 

And then he could see what she wanted to see. 

 

The moon. It shone above them, coating the water and them in its silky white glow.

 

“It’s beautiful.” She whispered quietly.

 

Shiro knew, that as cliche the moment was, he had to take use of it. Besides, the power of so many romance films were fueling him.

 

“Eh. I’d rate it second.” He said, heart hammering in his chest. Really? Did his heart have to race so much? Any minute now, it was going to beat right out of his chest.

 

“What comes first?” She turned her gaze to him, and there was an all knowing sparkle in her eyes. She knew about this cliche, yet she was still playing along. 

 

“You.” He answered, and it might have been the power of the moon that compelled their lips to gently touch.

 

That night, when they had finally gone home, Shiro had slid into bed, opened his arms, and found that she willingly climbed into them. 

 

He stayed with her, for a month. Two months. 

 

At the end of two months, he would take her to Japan to see his mother and sister and introduce her (they would absolutely love her), but both Shiro and Allura would end up in Capri once more, living out the rest of the time they had, living a riviera life. 


End file.
